NASA Spots Asteroid Approaching Earth; Will It Cause An Airburst?

NASA is currently monitoring an asteroid that’s expected to approach Earth tomorrow. Based on the data collected by the agency’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the incoming asteroid could cause a violent explosion in the sky if it collides with the planet.

The approaching asteroid has been identified by CNEOS as 2020 BU. According to the agency, this asteroid is currently moving across space at an average velocity of over 9,000 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of about 125 feet, making it almost as tall as the Chicago Water Tower.

2020 BU is officially classified as an Amor asteroid. Like other asteroids that belong to this group, 2020 BU does not intersect Earth’s trajectory as it makes its way across the Solar System. However, even though it doesn’t cross Earth’s path, it can still dangerously approach the planet.

Based on the information collected by CNEOS on 2020 BU, this asteroid will most likely not cause an impact event on Earth if it hits the planet. Since the asteroid is not that big and is not traveling fast enough, it will probably just burn up and explode in the atmosphere in the event of a collision.

Unfortunately, an asteroid exploding in the atmosphere could still be dangerous for people on the ground. Given the asteroid’s size, the energy that would be released from its mid-air explosion could be equivalent to over 40 atomic bombs. Although much of the energy would be absorbed by the atmosphere, the remaining force could still affect Earth depending on the altitude of the airburst.

If the asteroid detonates at a low altitude, the energy from the blast could shatter windows and cause structural damages to buildings within a large area. The effects of the explosion could also cause serious injuries to people.

Fortunately, 2020 BU is not in danger of causing an airburst on its upcoming visit. According to CNEOS, this asteroid is expected to fly past Earth on Jan. 22 at 1:18 a.m. EST. During its approach, the asteroid will be about 0.04954 astronomical units or roughly 4.6 million miles from the planet’s center.